A polarizing presence, infectious energy, zero shortage of confidence, and ever-so-full of passion—there are numerous ways to best describe Auburn’s Chad Baker-Mazara, who may or may not leave The Plains after two seasons dotting the navy and orange.
Baker-Mazara hinted at a possible return to Auburn when Bruce Pearl confirmed to the media that he has an additional year of eligibility due to a court ruling that allows JUCO transfers to play an extra year in early March.
While the (possible) end of his long-traveled collegiate journey may conclude on a bittersweet note, falling to Florida 79-73 in the Final Four, Baker-Mazara’s journey to this moment was anything but conventional -- through the ups and downs, the good and the bad -- which was on full display Saturday night.
Baker-Mazara ripped through Florida’s defense in the first half with back-to-back triples in the first five minutes. At the first media timeout, he had eight points, half of Auburn’s total points. He even had a few choice words, according to Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman.
I think Chad Baker-Mazara just said "I'm born for this shit" after making that 3.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 5, 2025
But as the game wore down, Florida began to tighten the screws and increase the pressure defensively. While Baker-Mazara finished with 18 points and four steals on the night, a costly travel in the waning minutes proved costly for the Tigers.
Auburn assistant coach Steven Pearl just went to the iPad and checked the replay on the travel that nullified Chad Baker-Mazara's 3-pointer. Threw it down in disgust.
— Isaac Trotter (@Isaac__Trotter) April 6, 2025
CBM's foot stayed on the floor and both Steven and Bruce Pearl are giving Courtney Green the absolute business.
While Baker-Mazara’s turnover came at the wrong time and wrong place (especially after he made the three-pointer that would have cut the Tigers’ deficit to a single possession), there’s no question the Dominican Republic native’s impact this season helped Auburn reach their lofty goals.
From Duquesne in 2020-21 to a reserve role at San Diego State in 2021-22 to ripping through the JUCO level at Northwest Florida State in 2022-23, Bruce Pearl took a leap of faith with Baker-Mazara in the 2023 offseason. It paid dividends for the Tigers, going 59-14 over the past two seasons.
As Bruce Pearl bluntly put it: “We let Chad Baker-Mazara be himself,” according to an article by Grace Heim of the Auburn Plainsman.
With the profound level of trust engrained from the coaching staff down to Baker-Mazara, the fact of the matter is simple: You live with the good…and you live with the bad. While the ending to the Tigers’ historic 2024-25 season closes in dejection, there’s no question that Baker-Mazara’s wiery impact on both ends of the floor helped catapult the Tigers to the final weekend in San Antonio.
It’s rare to find a player with a presence as polarizing as Chad Baker-Mazara. If he elects to depart Auburn, his collegiate career -- filled with many twists and turns -- will be one to remember. If he elects to return, Auburn’s 2025-26 ceiling will immediately become higher. The Chad Baker-Mazara offseason watch is officially on.